We love to visit an extraordinary spot in the Sierra Nevada mountains and hike among the majestic Sequoia sempervirens (redwood) trees, located in the Calaveras Big Trees State Park. There are two well-preserved groves of these gentle giants in this park, which has well-maintained walking trails to explore. It is difficult to express the feelings I get when hiking among these ancient creatures, but a sense of peace and tranquility always comes into the experience. This area is especially treasured by my husband and me since this is the place where he proposed to me many years ago. 

We really enjoy our vigorous hikes through the forest and then like to unwind with a good home-cooked dinner at a nearby family cabin in the town of Arnold. I am perpetually grateful to have the opportunity to stay at this peaceful retreat every so often.  

This cabin is tucked in among many stunning evergreen trees that host a variety of wildlife, which we can hear and sometimes see when they pass through the area. The cabin has a deck that looks over the surrounding forest, which gives the feeling of being perched among the trees, like sitting in a large treehouse.  

There is one tree that stands out, seemingly to greet us when we walk out onto the deck. If you look closely, the tree appears to have many human-like eyes that look over the cabin. These “eyes” are knot holes where branches have broken off over time, but I prefer to believe in the magic of their friendly spiritual existence. This tree takes on different characters throughout the seasons, dusted in snow in the winter and alive with birds in its canopy during the summer. It is always there to welcome us when we arrive and bid us farewell when we go home, with a promise to protectively watch over the cabin when the humans are gone. 

I do tend to romanticize this place we visit often, but this is also the same perspective that breeds my love for our garden and the reason I became a Master Gardener. Life is good!